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Council approves decorative streetlight installation on Gardena Boulevard; staff directed to explore string lights
Summary
The council approved Southern California Edison installation of 52 decorative street fixtures along Gardena Boulevard and 160 Second Street for $182,000 plus a $47,600 contingency, and directed staff to explore adding poles and string lighting to the corridor.
The Gardena City Council approved an agreement with Southern California Edison to install 52 preapproved decorative streetlight fixtures along Gardena Boulevard (Vermont to Western) and on 160 Second Street (Denker to Western). The proposed base installation cost is $182,000 with a recommended project contingency of $47,600; the council declared a CEQA exemption and authorized the city manager to execute the SCE application and contract.
Staff described the project as a downtown corridor beautification effort that replaces the top arm and fixture while retaining existing concrete poles, which saved substantial cost compared with replacing poles. The staff presentation noted that replacing an entire pole is roughly $13,000 while the preapproved SCE fixture retrofit is about $3,500 per location. A single sample decorative mast and fixture has already been installed in front of City Hall to show the look.
Council members discussed fixture color and whether the decorative lighting should match the adjacent façade color palette developed for Gardena Boulevard revitalization. Director Alan Rigg and staff recommended a sample installation before committing to alternative colors; the council selected a black decorative arm and fixture for initial installation and asked staff to produce a color sample if the council wishes to consider other finishes.
Council member Left (motion) asked staff to prepare a directive to study installing new poles that would permit string lighting across the street—the “string lights” some council members prefer—and directed staff to return with cost and design options. The staff estimated roughly $45,000 to install 15 new poles and string lighting for a segment of the corridor; staff said the string-light option using new poles would be a separate project.
A motion to approve the SCE installation, authorize the city manager to execute the application and contract, declare the CEQA exemption, and approve the project contingency passed in the vote recorded in the minutes.
Action details and vote tallies are below.
